Ismail Sabri announced yesterday the toll rates on highways operated by four highway concessionaires in the Klang Valley will not be raised. — Picture by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders said today the move against raising fares for four tolled roads was based on a policy decision made in 2019 as part of an election pledge to bring living costs down.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced yesterday the toll rates on highways operated by four highway concessionaires in the Klang Valley will not be raised and will remain unchanged until the end of their concession period.
The move will also entail the restructuring of the four concessionaires.
“This is a continuation of the effort started by the PH government in October 2019 whereby the Cabinet had decided in policy to take over the four tolled roads,” the Opposition coalition said in a statement.
“Thus, what was announced is a continuation and the fulfillment of the PH policy.”
Abolishing the toll was seen as one of the key election pledges that helped put PH into power.
One of several options considered was to take over all the concessionaires, but the lengthy negotiations and planning caused a long delay, prompting backlash and accusations that PH was reneging on its pledges.
The proposal was also criticised by some parties as a way to bail out certain concessionaires.
The coalition said the takeover would have taken place if not for the power-grab that ousted the elected PH administration, citing the reduction in toll rates for the PLUS North-South highway.
“What this proves is that if we had governed more than 22 months and the Sheraton Move did not happen, we could have put in place more policies that would alleviate the cost-of-living burden,” it said.
Ismail Sabri said the government had agreed to the proposed restructuring of the companies.
The four concessions are Kesas Sdn Bhd which manages Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas), Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir dan Terowong Sdn Bhd which manages the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (Smart), Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd which manages Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme (SPRINT) Expressway and Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd which manages Damansara-Puchong (LDP) Expressway.
The restructuring of the four companies was expected to reduce compensation cost from January 1, 2022, until the end of the concession period, and enable the government to save at least RM4.3 billion in toll subsidies.